stones with its huge
pointed snout, investigating clods of earth, pushing aside pieces of
wood, and all the while making an ill-used grunting squeaking noise, as
if protesting against the long period that had elapsed since it was fed.

"Well, of all the ugly, hungry-looking brutes I ever saw," said Hilary,
as he gazed down at the pig, "you are about the worst. Why, you are not
fit to cut up and salt for a ship's company, which is saying a deal.
Umph! indeed! Get out you ugly--Oh, murder! the brute's coming at my
breakfast! Addy, Addy, quick! Yah! Pst! Get out! Ciss! Swine!
Co-chon! Boo! Bah-h-h! Oh, if I'd only got something to throw at the
wretch! Quick, Addy, quick!"

His sufferings were bad enough before, but now they were agonising, for,
treating the loud objurgations of the prisoner with the greatest
contempt, after raising its snout sidewise and gazing up at him with one
little eye full of porcine wisdom, and flapping one of its ears the
while, the pig came to the conclusion that Hilary could only throw words
at it such as would not injure its pachydermatous hide, and then with a
contemptuous grunt it came on.

Nearer and nearer to the breakfast came the pig, twiddling its miserable
little tail about, investigating here and turning over there; and more
frantic grew the prisoner. He abused that unfortunate pig with every
sentence, phrase, and term he could remember or invent, but the animal
paid not the slightest heed.

"Au, you thick-skinned beast," he cried; "if I were only down there with
a stick!"

But he was not down there with a stick, and the pig evidently knew,
though as yet he did not know of the breakfast lying on the ground so
invitingly close, or it would have disappeared at once. Still, there
was no doubt that before many minutes had passed it would be gone if
Adela did not return, and at last Hilary pulled off a shoe, and as the
animal came now in a straight line for the bread, he took careful aim
and hit the intruder on the nose.

The pig uttered an angry squeal, and jumped back; but as the shoe lay
motionless, it concluded that it was probably something thrown it to
eat, and in this belief it approached the foot-guard, turned it over,
thrust its nose right inside, and lifted it up, flung it off its snout,
and proceeded to taste the leather, when, to Hilary's horror, the bread
met the ugly little pink eyes.

The pig uttered a squeal of pleasure, and dropped the shoe. Hilary
ut